Sterilizing apparatus.



C. DE BOGK.

STBRILIZING APPARATUS. I APPLIUATION FILED MAE. 7, 1911.

1,521,210 Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I Fil.

l D a? 2 C. DE BOOK.

STERILIZING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 7, 1911.

1,052,210. Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. DE BOGK.

STERILIZING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED 11111.7, 1911.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

3 sums-snnm s.

CHARLES ms BOCK, or ZELE, BELGIUM.

STEBILIZING APP L- 52' Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 7, 1911. Serial no. 612,940.

T US.

Patented Feb. 4.191s.

To all whom it may concern.- 5

Be it known that 1, CHARLES on Book, a

. subject of the Kingdom of Belgium, residfollowing to be a liquid b ing in Zele', Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sterilizing Apparatus; and-I do hereby declare the full, clear, and exact de-v scription of the invention, such as will 1 enable others skilled in the art towhichv it appertains-to make and use the same, reference being had the accompanying drawings, and toletters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. I

The present invention relates to the sterilization of milk and otherv liquids under pressure in their receptacles and transportmg or dispensing the constituents thereof by the sterilizing operation. In order to accomplishthis result, the receptacles or vessels and their contents must be heated to sterilizing temperature, that is, toa temperature sufficient to destroy the' micro-organisms and their spores. This temperature, according to asteur, is for milk about 110 to 115 centigrade. 4 According to my invention I submit the material to be sterilized, in its vessel, from the beginning to the end of the sterilization and during the subsequent cooling, to pressure in excess of the vapor pressure liquid at the sterilization temperature, so

that there cannot occur, tion, any decomposition or change in the reason of the high temperature the sterilization of milk the used. or

from two to four pressure employed is atmospheres.

It has been proposed to sterilize in closed vessels, but pressure has not been applied to'their contents before the heating of them has commenced, consequently the pressure inside these vessels only gradually rises as Such pressure is the heating progresses.

produced solely by the pressure of the vapor produced inside the vessel by reason of" the heat applied to its outside. The consequence is that there is not sufficient pressure on the contents of the vessels at the beginni and .end. of the heating operation to prevent decompositionof. said contents.

A mechanism for sterilizing in the man 'uer. above described by maand especially,

vessels without altering .opening a for the sterilizing steam or of the during steriliza- 'a supply pipe or nut joint 38. The pipe' 5' .is connected 'sel, that control the supply interior of the bottles.

. may

constructed for the sterilization of milk is shown in the accompanying drawings, in

which like parts are similarly designated.

Figure 1 isa view of the apparatus, partly invertical section, taken on the line A-B, Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on theline C D Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a plant containing a number of sterilizing receptacles common to a single supply means; Fig. 4 is a section of part of one of the vessels and itsvalve mechanism in open position; Fig. 5 is a similar view; of a modification of Fig. 5 in Fig.6 is a section of a modified form of supply valve; Fig. 7 is a modiclosed position;

tied form of valve controlling thesupply' of liquid to the receptacles. i

In the drawings I have illustrated a num-[ ber of dispensing vessels, as milk bottles or cans, 1, intended to be delivered sealed, with their contents to the consumers. These bottles are placed on an bottom of the sterilizing vessel or autoclave 3. This vessel is provided with an inlet hot The water, and anbutlet b for the same.

cooling water is admitted and discharged. it

through the same openings.

open-work false. bottom 2, secured withmand slightly above the Above the bottom of the vessel and die f I pensing receptacles l is a support or red 34' secured at35. to the walls of the autoclave. Supported by'3/l is distributing piping ceptacles 1. This piping} is connected to 5 by means of a detachable 4 for distributing the milk to the reto a branch pipe .6 supplied fror n-a pressure.

wall of the autoclave. On the piping. 4

and provided'lcecks 8, one'afor'each milk was ofmil'k to the v pipe 7 of suitable height -{The piping 4 I also retained in place byja fork 37' on that f lot or otherwise secured in the neck. screwing v into this ring 9 is a closure or tap 10 having a tubular prolongation 1-1 extending into the receptacle. The tap I0 is provided with a bore 12 into theupper end of which thedi'scharge Y ipe 8 of a cock extends, and prefthough a stuffing box 13', which may I 40 l off from 3 and the receptacles 1 are cooled,

' I low the or may not be removable. The tubular extension 11 is closed by a plug or cap 15, and is provided with two sets of ports 16 and 17 at diflerent levels. WVithin the extension is a piston normally urged upward by a spring 14 between the cap and lower end ts lower end into which is screwed the screw 19 of the portion of the piston.

The bore in the upper portion of the shank 20 registers with the bore 39 in a cock 8. The upper end of the bore 39 terminates in a transverse bore 10 arranged to be placed in communication with the piping 1 when .the cock is in lowered position. The upper end of the cock above the bore 40 is solid {receptacles 1 are heated thereby while under and is provided with a stop flange 42 arranged to take against the upper stuflin box 13 and with a handle 41. The milk bottles or receptacles 1 are ar .ranged in the autoclave 3 as shown in Fig.

1, the cocks 8 are opened as well as those in pipes 6, and milk under pressure is admitted from the stand-pipe 7, elevated tank32 or otherwise, to the piping 4, through the cooks 8, bore 12, ports 22,.tubular extension 11 and ports 16 therein to the bottles or receptacles, 1. When the receptacles 1 have been filled, sterilizing steam or hot water is admitted to the autoclave through a and the the internal pressure of the milk. After the sterilization the hot water or steam is drawn 1 either by cold water admitted through a or air. After cooling the cooks are closed and .1

by opening the autoclave toadmit outside the piping. 1 with the vcocks 8 therein is lifted ofl the set of receptacles 1. In so doing. each piston is raised, urged upward by its spring 14. i

' tity of milk from two to four times the volume of the annular space 27 above'the'.

The-ports nular chamber 26, admitting thereto a quanpiston, thereby reducing the pressure above the piston, draining the shank 12 and space 27 as the piston ascends to its upper limit i'iiwhen ports 16 are 0105861 by the p cking, as .'shown in Fig; 5 t

"In order to prevent the loss of milk contained in the cooks 8 it is preferable to provide these cocks'with a check valve 4 1 at their exits, as shown in Fig. 6,-and each valve is contained in a short tubular portion 1 43 secured to the cooks 8. as shown.

In Fig. 5 I have'shown the cover of the receptacles made in two parts, 28 and 29.

24' communicate with the aIi-- In the lower portion 29 is a chamber 30 connected to the space above the piston by a duct 81.

' The tubes 5-7 are of suitable height and i are intended to produce a suitable lactostatic pressure to allow the sterilization to be produced at the required temperature without dissociating the milk components.

The filling of the receptacles 1 may be efiected from the stand pipe 7, from elevated tank 32, or from a suction and force j pump. The receptacles 1- may also be filled before placing them in the autoclave 3, if

desired. In all of the cases it will be understood that the filling will be completed by means of a pump unless the stand-pipe 7 is sufliciently filled with milk to produce the;

necessary pressure.

vIn Fig. 7 I have shown a pump 52 whose discharge pipe 51 supports the standpipe 7. In Fig. 3 I have shown diagrammatically the autoclaves 3 in sets, each set supplied by an elevated tank 32 and a stand-pipe common to the sets, there being suitable valves in the pipe connections whereby anindividual autoclave and its contents, or a. set thereof may be cut oif from the milk suppl The receptacle 32 may be connecte to a suction and force pump if desired, to accomplish the filling under pres sure.

I claim 1. In apparatus for sterilizing under pressure'the combination with a sterilizing vessel, a piping in said vessel, transporting receptacles in said Vessel, filling means for said receptacles-and arranged to'be hermeti' cfally sealed thereto; means to produce at said filling means a predetermined pressure of the liquid to be sterilized by maintaining a hydrostatic column of said liquid con nected to said filling means and devices 'to openand close communication at willbe-l tween said column and filling means. h

2. In an apparatus for sterilizing under pressure, the combination of an autoclave, a piping in said autoclave and means for maintaining a determined pressure of the substance to be'sterilized in saidpiping;

of transporting receptacles'in saidlautoclave and means for connecting said piping with I said receptacles.

3. 111 an apparatus for sterilizing under pressure, vthe combination of an autoclave, a piping Within said autoclave and means for maintaining a determined pressure in said piping oftransporting receptacles in said autoclave, cocks-having longitudinal borings and crossing said piping, spring.

operated pistons to close the transporting receptacles, said pistons arranged to be lowered by said cocks when connected to the piping by the cocks. I

4. In an apparatus for sterilizing under 10 in the transporting vessels and connected with said receptacles when said pistons are near the end of their closing stroke.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, 1 have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES on BOOK.

Witnesses GEoRGEs VANDER HAEYHEN, PAUL EARLY. 

